Now, let me tell you about Blunt Graffix
by Tina Martinson

Matt Dye is the owner of Blunt Graffix, and he is a very intense and intellectual person. Fear is his enemy and he devours it! I liken his persona to that of a neon sign for a dirty strip club, only brighter! Matt and Molly Mae own and run Blunt Graffix, as a working  team. They both contribute to the design and silk-screening process as well as  setting up shows like their upcoming Dead Rock Stars. They are both very proud  parents of a very precocious one year old who already creates his own art!

Matt did not feel the burn of art growing up but while serving in the US Navy as an air traffic controller he discovered that he had a certain affinity towards the military's copy machines. It was also at this time that he was given several bootleg computer graphics programs and he began to monkey around with them. He discovered that they would keep reducing the size and quality of his images much to his consternation that he quickly outgrew them.

In 2000 he was creating logos for a surf shop in Hawaii but wasn’t overly fond of the atmosphere. It was about a year later through a natural progression that he started Blunt Graffix. When I asked Matt which of the posters or bands were most notable to him he simply stated “none”. But someone was defiantly taking notice and in 2004 he was in The Art of Modern Rock, a brash and colorful book that has become a must have for music and art lovers alike!

Matt continued to vigorously grow and expand Blunt Graffix. His work has been shown in New York, San Francisco, LA, Portland, Tokyo and Osaka. Matt has also participated in many group shows including Spoke Art in San Francisco and Mudob Gallery in Japan where his work consistently sells out. His piece Ezekiel 25:17 is one of his hottest pieces and one of my personal favorites and yes, I own a small silk-screen print! It was created for a show called Quintin vs.Coen III and was part of a traveling art exhibition which ended in LA at the Beyond Eden Art Fair last October. It was Matt and Molly’s constant participation in the group shows that gave them the confidence to give Blunt Graffix their own show!

Currently Blunt Graffix is gearing up for a one hell of a show, no bullshit Larry! The show it titled Dead Rock Stars: A Tribute to the Mortal Gods of Sound and it involves many diverse artists from all across the country and world. Artists such as Sean D’Anconia, Retro Outlaw Studios, Molly Mae Culligan ,Sabrina Ridge and of course Matt Dye. Dead Rock Stars had limited guidelines and the work was not juried. Matt and Molly chose the artist themselves and the only stipulation was that the work be their own creations; hand made by the artists’ themselves. No digital prints.

Matt likes his prints to have a definite street art feel to them and will in fact make rough prints. I asked Matt how he came up with the idea of Dead Rock Stars and he stated that he likes to look for a connection. A twist in art that will make people uncomfortable .Then with a very sheepish grin he added, “Or what ever is getting on my nerves at the moment”. It was at this time that I knew I was in the presence of greatness and a very naughty boy, and I was pleased.

Blunt Graffix do their best to be eco-friendly using only soy based solvents and water based ink. They also like to use what Matt calls “oops paints” House paints that have been rejected by whoever. Blunt Graffix is also looking to the future and plan on having many more shows and total world domination!

So pay attention kids! I’m telling you that Poppy & Moe, The WAVE Gallery and Blunt Graffix are where it’s at….Get in on the ground floor and say “I was there!”

The opening reception for Dead Rock Stars will be February 2nd, 2012 in Eugene, Oregon at Blunt Graffix, a 2000 square foot artist studio that is located at 1040 Tyinn St #3, Eugene. Doors open at 6pm. The show runs through February 24th. The art will then move to THE WAVE Gallery, located at 547 Blair Blvd, Eugene, OR and will remain until late March.